Adopted
by The Feh
Summary: When one Muggleborn witch finds she is truly a pureblooded witch of a prominent family, adopted by Muggles, her life begins to become chaotic, with the news of a man who might not be so out of reach or as cold as she thought.
1. Chapter 1

"What do you mean, I'm adopted?"

"Honey, settle down, please!" Her "mother" looked exhausted. "It had started out as a switch at birth. When we found out… we just adopted you."

"So, you had a baby, lost it, got a new one, and decided to tell me this just _now_?"

Her "father" took in a deep breath. "Yes, because we received a letter today."

"Wonderful. My birth parents finally realized I was gone, after twenty years. I have a career, mother. I have friends. I'm all grown up now." She held her head haughtily. "Or should I call you something else now?"

She ignored the question. "They only just found out that their daughter was not really their own. The terms of our adoption of you were that if your birth parents ever contacted us and wanted you back, we had to give you back. No matter what."

"What am I supposed to do? Go to their home and say, 'hi, I'm your long-lost daughter, but I have to go to work now. Bye!'?"

"No. They have something else in mind… You see, you aren't just some random witch born of Muggle parents. You're pure-blooded."

"And what difference does it make?"

"They want to talk to you about something. They want to meet you. They want you to meet your brother."

"Fine. Give me the address." When they handed it to her, she went toward her car. As she stared down at the white slip of paper, she wondered how her two best friends would take the news.


	2. Chapter 2

As she walked up the small steps to the door, she looked at the house. It obviously belonged to an old family with a lot of roots. She didn't know too many who put too much stock into the pure-blooded thing, except for the Malfoys.

She knocked the big brass handle twice against the well used spot, and the door was answered almost immediately by a house elf.

"Would you be Miss Hermione?" the small creature asked.

"Yes." She fondly remembered her school days with S.P.E.W.

"The master and mistress are expecting you." He walked off and she followed.

Since her days at Hogwarts, her hair had thankfully become darker and softer, and no longer had the color and texture of a bird's nest. Her green eyes had also become darker, and richer, so that she was often told they reminded people of the darkest emerald they had ever seen. She hadn't known what exactly to wear on her first meeting with her parents, but finally decided on a simple and pretty dark red blouse and black dress pants. She had styled her hair sleekly, into a bun that let some of it down like a ponytail. Her nails were painted the same dark shade of her blouse, and she had painstakingly applied her makeup twenty times more carefully than usual – garnet eyeshadow to match her clothes and offset her eyes all at once, an intense but not too dark lipcolor to also match her blouse, and a light blush to match her fair skin tones.

"Announcing Miss Hermione," the house elf said through a door, poking its head through a small dog-door. A melodious voice answered out.

"Please send her in." Hermione's breath caught. Was that the voice of the mother she'd never known?

She walked into the room. "Good morning," she said politely to the man and woman. She had the dark eyes of the man, but instead of his black hair, she had inherited her mother's chestnut shade.

"I am Natalie Drake," she said. "This is my husband, Adam Drake. We… meant to name you Lauren, but Hermione is just as beautiful and fitting." Tears were brimming in her eyes, and her husband placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Please excuse her. We're only overjoyed to see you."

"What happened to the girl you believed I was?"

"She was killed in a car accident this spring."

"I'm so sorry. Is that why you asked me here?"

"Not quite. A few months before she died, an old friend of mine reminded me of an old promise we had made when our children were young. They were to marry when they both became twenty-one. Unfortunately, after she died, we were informed that she was not our daughter. Something to do with forensics, or something or other. We had a wizard do a test, and it proved true. She was a Muggle. We had believed she was a Squib. We contacted my friend, and he told me that we must find the real daughter, for that was who his son was promised to."

"Arranged marriages are quite archaic."

He nodded. "We older families keep with older traditions. I realize this may come as a shock to you, but we would like it if you stayed here with us for a while. You are our daughter, and we would very much like to get to know you."

"I do have a home, but I could move. I could also help you explain to your friend that I do not intend to marry a stranger."

"He might not take it well, but he did promise to come with his son and wife later this week. We had planned on talking it out to some mutual agreement of some other way, but perhaps if you met them, you either may change his mind or your own."

"Alright." _Although I will never marry someone I do not love._ "I would be happy to move in within a few days… I just have to notify some people, gather my belongings, and somehow get them here. Through either magic or Muggle ways," she added.

"We will be waiting," he said with a twinkle in his eyes, "daughter."

By then, Natalie's tears had long since dried. "I do hope you will like it here. We'll gladly begin decorating your suite while you are preparing."

"Thank you so much," Hermione said. She thought to her flat's decoration. "I'll let you choose, and I must tell you… I only own a chest. My current home was furnished by the landlord, and it was my first since leaving Hogwarts."

Adam seemed to remember something then. "So you did attend Hogwarts. Well, I dare say you've most likely met the young man to whom you are supposedly to marry."

"Maybe." Hermione sounded thoughtful. _I liked almost all of my fellow students at Hogwarts… I wonder who it is. _Suddenly, she remembered the conversation with her "parents". _They want you to meet your brother…_ Damn had she heard them wrong. They had said _betrothed_.

"You were adopted?"

Harry's tone was as shocked as hers had been.

"Yes, I was. My birth parents have told me I should move in with them. I will."

"Sure." He nodded, still a little confused. "Sure. Seems perfectly logical."

"Oh, and there's something else."

"Really? What?" He hoped it would be "normal" news.

"According to my father, I'm supposed to marry someone we went to school with."

"How? Why? _Who?_"

"Arranged marriage when we were extremely young; because they are pure-blooded old wizarding families; I have no idea. I didn't think to ask."

"How wonderful. I'm going to go talk to Ron." The dark-haired friend she had known for about a decade now Apparated to her other friend's house. She did the same… to another acquaintance's home.

"You're adopted _and_ getting married?"

"Calm down, Lavender. I'm not getting married."

"But… you said…" She sighed. "Hermione, I'm going to kill you if you don't tell me the truth!"

"I said my birth parents had arranged for me to be married when I was very young. I never said I was going along with it."

"Well, who is it _not_ then?"

"I have no idea. I didn't ask my father, who made the arrangement with a friend of his. I'm meeting them Friday… after I move in."

"Alright. But if you are getting married, I want the exclusive. People will also be curious as to why one of the best in the Ministry up and quit her promising job at 20 and disappears from public. I want the adoption story, too, okay?"

"If it gets put out by the press, I promise to let you write it. And interview all sides."

"MUM!" Ron Weasley yelled to his mother, as he popped into his old home. "_MUM!_"

"Yes, dear?" The plump and pleasant Mrs. Weasley looked through the doorway at her grown youngest son, with her grown daughter in tow.

"Hermione isn't Muggle-born, she's adopted, and she just found out she's supposed to be married to some other pure-blood."

Ginny's mouth opened wide and her eyes did the same. Mrs. Weasley merely stared at her son. Ginny let out a small noise that could have become a shriek of surprise if she wasn't so shocked.

"She's adamant that she will not marry him, though. Especially since she has no idea who he is."


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Apology: I have no idea of the currency exchange between US$ and British pounds, so I put all currency in US$, since that is what I'm accustomed to.**

"We've found her," Adam said to his longtime friend. "She has agreed to meet all of you on your visit Friday. She went to school with him, and her name is Hermione Granger."

"Good, good." After he had finished talking to his friend, the man went to find his son.

"They have found the girl I told you about. Her name is Hermione. They told me she went to school with you."

Steely green-grey eyes stared curiously out from under pale blond hair. "Hermione what?" He asked suspiciously, vaguely remembering someone who people called Hermione… but no face came to mind.

"Hermione Granger, I do believe he told me."

"No." His eyes turned even colder when he remembered just who she was. "Hell no, father. Terminate the agreement. I will not marry that Mudblood scum."

"She's not a Mudblood, Draco! She was adopted by Muggles, yes, but she was born through a pure-blood family. She's the blood daughter of Adam and Natalie Drake. You know that. I promised him a groom for his daughter, and he promised me a bride for you. It's been decided. You have no choice." His father walked off and Draco went to his room.

_Not only is Granger Mudblood scum, but she was also ugly as cheap dirt all through school. No one can make me believe that has changed until I see her with my own eyes. _He found a slip of paper near his door. "We visit on Friday."

Damn. He closed his eyes and clenched his fist over the slip of paper. Just bloody peachy, isn't it, having to "meet" that Granger Mudblood, who is supposedly a true-blood, according to his father… Could she really be?

"Who is it?" Hermione asked Adam the morning after she had moved in.

"Oh, my friend's son? His name is Draco Malfoy." He said all this very nonchalantly. Personally, though, Hermione was shocked and more determined than ever.

She didn't want to hurt her newly discovered father. She didn't want to insult him by refusing his best friend's son. At least, not right then. She didn't want to make his impression of her completely horrible by saying, "Draco can go to hell, and so can the thought of meeting him again," which was what was sweeping across her mind.

She simply went to her bedroom. She stared at the ceiling before she heard a little pop. She jerked her head up to see who had Apparated into her new home, and her bedroom at that. Expecting to see Harry, Ron, Ginny, or Lavender, she saw Draco Malfoy.

Unfortunately, she also saw that he wore no more than his denim jeans. Her jaw almost dropped. Sure, she hated him. But, man oh man, did he have a body!

"What are _you_ doing here?" She asked it spitefully, hoping to God that she didn't reveal that she had been staring at his naked top half quite brainlessly.

"My father forced me to come a day early to apologize. For all that I did to you at Hogwarts."

"Let me rephrase that question. What are you doing here dressed like that?" Hermione scanned his… outfit.

"What do you…?" He glanced down briefly, and realized he had on no shirt. "Oh, that. I guess I forgot my shirt."

"Good thing you didn't forget your boxers and trousers, then," she said dryly.

"Keep hoping, Granger." She held that mistake for later. She knew he would set himself up again.

"Tell it to your numerous girlfriends. Not interested."

"Mud—"

"Uh, uh, uh, Malfoy. First, my name is Hermione. Granger is no longer accepted. For one, our fathers are friends. For another, my name is Hermione Drake, not Granger. Another thing… I happen to be as pure-blooded as you are. Though nowhere near as cold-blooded."

"Of course. Sorry about having a habit or two. Must be left over from my—"

"Naughty days at school?" She finished for him.

"Sure, what ever you say." He added something else to gauge her reaction. "You know, you've grown up a lot in the past few years… Enough to make some people notice, I'm sure. Even so, I'm still not attracted to you. Mudblood raised, Mudblood she stays."

"Pure-blood born, still as average as a rose's thorns." Hermione smiled. "If you're not attracted to me, then, just by the way, why are you staring so intently at me?"

He scowled at her, not knowing what to say for a moment. Unfortunately, as his luck was running a dry spell, and therefore his bed too, he was attracted to her – he told himself – and couldn't keep his eyes off her. Damn it. He was going to have to go to the bar tonight and find some willing witch. Then he would see Hermione again tomorrow and see her for what she really was – a Mudblood at heart, even if her pedigree said pure. "Because, _Hermione_," he said, remembering to use her name, "I was wondering how many times you've had either Potter or Weasley all over you in the past few years."

Her eyes flashed. "Sure, I went out with Ron while we were in school, but I've never felt that way about Harry. I don't have affairs with friends like you're talking about."

"Oh, so you have them with enemies," he said, raising his eyebrow suggestively. He knew he was flirting. He wanted her to want him. She would pay for making him want her, even if it was only because she looked decent now, and he hadn't gotten any for over a month. "If I recall, you had quite a temper in school, and obviously still have it. I've often heard that if a lady has a temper, she's also red-hot in bed."

She glared at him, but then her eyes softened as she stepped closer. "You obviously have changed a lot since school, too, Draco." She was inches from his face, inches from kissing him. Her lips were parted and she was almost touching him.

She grabbed his hands, and yanked. She kissed him. She'd only meant this as a tease. But the payoff from a kiss would be even better than an almost-kiss.

When she pulled away knowingly, she merely smiled. "But still not enough so I'd want you, even if our parents say we have to marry, or even if you were the last person on earth." She turned around, obviously waiting for him to leave.

Draco almost growled. He was angry. She had completely fooled him. And, not to mention, her fake kiss was the best he'd had in… a long time, anyway. He walked out nonchalantly. "Good," he said in the doorway, "because I'd hate to see you begging on your knees for me."

She laid back on her bed. Damn him. Damn this whole arrangement. She hated that what had meant to be a teasing kiss to make him think she wanted him… had turned into something she had definitely not expected. She expected to feel as cold as ice, but… She shook her head. She wasn't going to think about it. For one, she hated him. He tried to say that stuff about Harry and her. He had the nerve to say all those things… He had hated her through school, and she had always been glad to return the favor. She set her jaw determinedly. She looked in her closet and was happy to see that she had "nothing suitable" for the next day. She told Adam and Natalie – she didn't know quite what to call them yet – she needed money for a nice dress to have for the weekends. They had given her a credit card and very, very nice limits.

"No less than (US$) 500, Hermione. Buy a nice dress, a few nice outfits." Natalie had smiled at her. "Besides, I hear Draco's quite handsome, though I haven't seen him since he was a toddler." She had winked at her.

Hermione mumbled back, "So I've heard."


	4. Chapter 4

"Pleased to see you again, Draco," Hermione said, trying her hardest to sound like she meant it, for the sake of their parents.

She was wearing a very dark green dress that only scraped her knees. The material was soft and satiny, and the neckline was cut into a deep V. It was backless and the only thing that held up the front was the tie on the back of her neck. The color matched the color of her eyes perfectly, and her hair was styled into a sleek almost-bun at her nape. The wine colored lipstick and deep green eyeshadow perfected the look. She tried to put the kiss from the day before out of her head.

"The pleasure is all mine," he replied. He couldn't stop thinking about he'd love to kiss away that lipstick, and rip that hair of that bun. He didn't know what to blame it on this time, though, since he had found a gorgeous young blonde at the bar the night before. He took her hand and kissed it. His father had told him to be perfectly courteous.

"You bet it is," she muttered. Then she smiled graciously at his father. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Malfoy."

"As it is to meet you, Miss Drake." He smiled back at her, and a shiver went down her spine. He scared her to death. "I heard that you and Draco go quite a way back."

"We… knew each other in school." She smiled again. "We came in close contact occasionally." She remembered punching him very vividly. And kissing him the day before.

"Yes." Draco stepped in, vividly remembering both also. "I apologize for the ways I mistreated you in school, Hermione." He bowed his head.

"I thought you were supposed to have done that before today," Lucius said sharply.

"I got distracted, Father."

"It's really no problem. I completely understand. In fact, I was also very busy yesterday." Her eyes bored into Draco's. "But be sure that it was really nothing."

"No, my business was probably just an excuse not to come."

"That's quite alright."

"And that's enough," Lucius put in, the sharp tone not leaving his voice. "Draco, why don't you begin unpacking your things in the guest room?"

As he walked off, Natalie spoke up. "Hermione, the guest room changed. It's now the one next to yours… Why don't you show him the way?"

On the way to the room, Hermione realized that the two rooms shared a bathroom. Now, _that_ was going to be awkward.

"Here it is, and the bathroom is through there."

"Where's the other door go to?"

"A closet," she lied.

"Alright, then." He nodded. "I will see you later, then."

She left and went to her own room, laying on her bed. She heard a doorknob turn and jumped up at his voice.

"This doesn't look like a closet."

"Oh, you meant the other door in the _bathroom_. I had thought you meant in the bedroom."

"No. I didn't."

"Well, then, you can go back now."

"I can." He stayed, leaning against the door frame.

"Then why aren't you?"

"I don't feel like it, frankly."

"This is my bedroom, Malfoy." Her eyes were fiery and icy at the same time. "You need to get out."

He noticed the expression in her eyes. "Yesterday I said you were hot. Fiery, you know. You said I was cold. Like ice. When you mix fire and ice, you get—"

"Melted water," she said quickly.

"No." He was right beside her now, whispering into her ear, "You get steam."

She gave an involuntary gasp. Just a little intake of air. Just her eyes widening. Just her heart accelerating at the mental image. Just the memory of that kiss.

He smiled. "See you later, Hermione. And, by the way," he looked at her as he left, "call me Draco. This last name thing is getting kind of annoying."

Back in his own room, he almost screamed. Torturing her was not fun. It also tortured him. And if it wasn't just the dry run, since he had broken it last night, it was her. Damn it all. This wasn't going to work. He looked to the bathroom door. And realized he would be hearing her shower. Every day he remained here. His father had told him he would be staying a week. Or longer. Definitely not good. Seven or more days. Seven or more showers. This was going to suck severely.

Hermione wanted to get rid of the creeping feelings in her. She let the fabric of her dress pool at her feet, undid her bra, and slipped out of her other undergarments.

She walked into the shower, turned it on hot, let the water run over her.

_Shit_, he thought. She was in the shower. Now. Naked. And the only thing between them was an unlocked door. Neither doors had locks. He had checked.

And he did something he hadn't even thought about. He stood up and went into that bathroom, and said, "I was sure I heard this faucet leaking," as if he didn't know she was in the shower.

Immediately, the water turned off. It was a good thing she was done.

"Draco," she said slowly and calmly, "would you please hand me that towel?"

When he handed the dark green, fluffy towel to her, She pushed the curtain aside, and stepped out wrapped in it. Still, the towel wasn't very big, and some of her cleavage and most of her legs were quite visible. It didn't help matters when he watched a drop of water from her hair trace over her skin and disappear below the towel. He wished to be that little bit of water.

"What are you staring at?" She blushed, the color spreading throughout all her body that was visible. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I'd like to get dressed." She walked into her own room.


	5. Chapter 5

"Good morning." Hermione opened to door to Lucius and Narcissa. "Glad to see you again, Mr. Malfoy. It's a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Malfoy. The rest of us are in the study." She walked them to the room, and sat down on one of the comfortable chairs.

"You wanted to discuss the arrangement, Adam?" Lucius looked at his friend. Narcissa and Natalie were talking quietly in a corner.

"I don't think it's really quite fair to force Hermione into a marriage. Lauren had been prepared all her life to wed Draco. She had known since they were both only three."

"Be that as it may, I don't think it would be forcing her. She has no boyfriend, obviously, or you would have used that argument, and she is your daughter – who my son was promised."

"They weren't extremely friendly in school, remember. If they bickered all the time, that wouldn't make for a good marriage."

Lucius spared a glance at Draco and Hermione. They were talking spiritedly. Hermione had a light in her eyes and a smile on her lips. Draco was also smiling and seemed to be enjoying the conversation immensely. "They don't seem adversaries to me."

Adam looked over. "Well, Hermione was the one who told me to ask you to terminate it. If she's warmed up to him this much…"

"She may only want him as a friend, I know. Let's give them a few days."

Suddenly, Draco looked up. "No. Father, please!"

Hermione also looked up. "Daddy… I…" she whispered, but Adam heard her. It broke his heart. She hadn't called him that before. Not even father.

"Lucius, maybe we—"

"No. We are their parents. We know what is best for them. This is a lot like broccoli. They didn't want to eat it, but we knew that they had to."

Resigned, the others in the room let their shoulders fall.

"I'll be back on Tuesday to speak with you again," Lucius said as he and his wife left.

Draco invited her into his room afterwards… to talk, he said. Their conversation had let them find common ground, and had sparked a small friendship.

"I can't believe your father is forcing you to do this," she told him.

"And you." He looked at her intently. "I'm sorry that you've been put into this."

"What's this, Draco? Do I sense a soft spot? Are you getting weak?"

"No," he replied sharply. "It's you that's getting weak. That is, in the knees."

"You wish." Suddenly she remembered the last time they had had a conversation like this. Her face became serious and she drew back.

"Are you okay?" He looked worried.

"I'm fine." She shook her head. "I just remembered something, that's all."

He leaned his head down a bit to try to get a good look at her downward tilted face. Just as he did that, she attempted to look up at him, and their lips met.

Involuntarily, she pressed her body against his, and he increased the pressure against her mouth. Her fingers ran through his hair, and he wrapped his arms around her. His tongue sought entrance and she opened her mouth to let it in, their tongues dancing and fighting just as they often did, teasing each other, making their pulses skyrocket.

When they both finally pulled away softly, she looked down. They were sitting on the large bed in his room. She was stunned. She had never imagined she could ever feel what she had just felt for Draco Malfoy. She blushed and quietly went to her own room by way of the bathroom.

Draco was just as shocked as Hermione. He'd never thought he'd ever kiss her. He knew that one in her room three days before had just been to make him mad. But this… this was really a kiss. And she'd definitely responded to him. And he sure had responded to her.

Usually someone started a kiss. Usually someone ended a kiss. This time it was completely mutual. Hermione was like no one he had ever been with.

Hermione stared at the ceiling from her bed. This was way too much for her. Three days ago, she hadn't even thought of Draco Malfoy in years. Now she'd kissed him twice and seemed to spend every waking moment either with him or near him. All because she had found out she was adopted. And his stupid controlling father wanted her to marry his stupid son. Just because her father had agreed to it when they were babies. How she wished she could go back in time and warn him not to agree! To tell him that Lauren wasn't his daughter – Hermione was. To tell him at the hospital before they were switched. But then… she would have probably been in Slytherin and never would have met Harry or Ron. Or, rather, she would have been just like Draco. There was no good way of looking at this, was there?

Draco stared at the bathroom door. He stood and went through it. He almost entered her room, but then thought better of it. He stripped his clothes, and turned on the water. He walked in and closed the curtain.

When he came out again, he wrapped his bottom half in a navy towel, and went through the door to his own room, still dripping a little.

Instead of his dark bed, he saw a pretty one with scarlet covers, and Hermione laying on top of it. Too late, he realized his mistake. Just as he turned around to go back, she sat up quickly. "Draco?"

He winced inwardly. "Yes?" He turned around.

Her breath caught. How did the man seem to make a habit to come into her room half-naked? "I thought we'd had this conversation. No entrance without boxers and trousers," she said, recalling what she'd said the other day.

"Yeah, well, I like to break rules." His grip was slipping on the towel as he grinned at her. He didn't notice.

She did. "Better catch that."

"Would you really mind?" His smile became even more mischievous, and his eyes darkened with lust.

"Actually, yes. You're practically a widower."

"How?"

"You were engaged to woman now dead. Lauren Drake."

"And now I seem to be engaged to a woman very much alive. Hermione Drake." He paused. "The _real_ Drake daughter. So, all along, I was engaged to you. Even in school. Which means you cheated on me with every guy you've been with. Including Weasley."

"Which means I'm the most cheated on woman ever – I dated one guy at Hogwarts. You dated the majority of the female population. I've had maybe 2 serious relationships since then. You've most likely had at least fifty."

"Well, that was the terms of the engagement with Lauren – I could date as much as I like, as long as I settled down when we were 21."

"Well, we're still twenty, so I suppose we aren't engaged."

"Pity. I rather liked kissing you."

"Oh, did you?"

"Yes. Both times," he added. He smiled. "You can't tell me you didn't."

"I suppose I can't. But I can say I could have lived without this whole mess. The kisses and the engagement. And the lack of wardrobe. You're making a habit of this."

"I suppose I am. Would you prefer me dressed?"

"Of course."

"So you can rip the clothes off my body with your teeth, right?"

"Only in your fantasies, Draco. Reality is more like the fact that my parents live here. And that we are not lovers."

"Again, only in my fantasies," he said as he disappeared into the bathroom. She heard both doors shut behind him.


	6. Chapter 6

Adam was adamant about it. "If she does not love him, I will not let it happen. She shouldn't be forced into it, Lucius. We both know they are both against it. Draco was fine with it being Lauren. As I said Saturday, she was not told from the early age Lauren was about this. She did have a life before this."

"Fine. But if she does love him, or comes to in later years, she is to marry him. That is final."

"Any other terms?"

"If anything intimate happens between them, they also have to wed."

"Considering Draco's reputation, isn't that unfair?"

Lucius shrugged. "She's resisted him so far, has she not?"

"I suppose so." He sighed. "I would love to see them together as well, but… Hermione was always against it."

"Draco was too, when he heard who it was. It seems they had quite a history."

There was a knock at the door. "Come in," Adam called.

Hermione and Draco slipped in. "We figured you'd want to talk to us," Draco said.

"Yes," his father told him. He relayed the conditions to them.

"How intimate?" Draco asked.

Lucius raised his eyebrows. "What should it matter? If you two have…"

"No!" Hermione spoke sharply. She softened her tone. "I am not that kind of girl, I can assure you, sir."

"Father, she is not like any girl I've ever dated, I swear. I have not mistreated her like that. She is a family friend to me. Nothing more," he lied. He remained silent that he was attracted to her. And that they had shared a couple of amazing kisses. She didn't want to marry him. He didn't feel like getting tied down himself either.

"Draco is still the boy who called me names all through school. I've forgiven him, but first impressions are hard to erase, Mr. Malfoy." _And the boy I punched. And the man I kissed in two rooms in three days. And have seen half-naked more than once._ She had a lot of impressions of him, obviously.

**A/N: Shorty short-short chapter, huh? Oh well. We've had long ones. We're going to have long ones. Variety is the spice of life. And I'm rambling.**


	7. Chapter 7

She couldn't get it out of her head. Every single moment, for the past week, she had been reliving that kiss. She'd tried her hardest to stay away from Draco. She kept pretty much in her room. And even there, she was afraid he'd come through that door again. It seemed every time he stepped into the room she had to kiss him – or at least, she had wanted to.

Just that morning, Lucius had come back and pressed her hand into Draco's hand.

"_I realize that you two have most likely apologized about all that happened in your school days, but I also realize there was most likely a great amount of hatred between you. Please, do apologize. I would feel so much better."_

"_I apologize, Hermione," Draco said, "for the names, the unkindness, and everything I have said about your friends."_

This feels oddly like wedding vows_, she thought. "I accept your apology, and I apologize, Draco," she said, "for the names, the unkindness, hitting you in third year, making fun of you behind your back, and, of course, any other mean-spirited thing I have done to you in the past."_

"_I accept your apology." They both looked at his father, who let their hands go. For a moment, they stayed, but realizing where they were, they let them drop. _

Still, Hermione could not shake the tingling in her hands that had been there since Lucius had forced them to meet Draco's own.

Just as she was rubbing them again, trying to get the tingle out, Draco came in. This time, he was actually fully clothed. (**Draco fangirls: Awww! cry**)

And, although she'd never admit it to his face, she _did_ want to rip them off his body… She wanted to see every inch of him, and for him to… _No. Remember the terms_, she reminded herself.

Draco looked at her laying on the large bed. Her skirt, though perfectly modest, seemed too sexy to be legal everywhere. Her shirt… oh, for the love of… her thin white spaghetti-strap shirt was spread across her flat stomach and stretched over her chest. He could easily make out the lacy fabric that was her bra. He wondered if her underwear matched. He, too, scolded himself for letting his thoughts go too far in that direction. It was almost unbelievable to him that a mere month ago, they'd hated each other.

He found himself walking to her bed. And she sat up, and he fell into her. And she whispered, "No regrets."

It was wrong. It was against everything they knew. It was inevitable.

**A/N: No complaints about the "sex scene" (or, actually, lack thereof), right? Right. I'm keeping this fic rated T, okay? Kay, now that I've rambled, it's time for…. REVIEWS! Go on… click the pretty button…**


	8. Chapter 8

They stood in front of their fathers, heads hung down in shame. They felt like children, although their "misbehavior" had nothing to do with crayons on the wall, or leaving out their playthings.

And the punishment was much more extreme.

Adam stood speechless. He and Lucius were standing in front of their two grown children. Lucius was frowning, though he had known it would happen. Especially after what he'd done the morning before. He hadn't expected it so soon, though… Perhaps they had been getting to know each other better than he thought.

"What have you two to say for yourselves?" Lucius stared at his son. "Draco?"

He shrugged. "It just happened. This morning, we both knew you had to know, because of the arrangement."

"You're correct. And you broke the terms – so, you must marry." He raised a brow. "Though, I don't quite see what the problem would be now."

Hermione glared at him. Draco placed a hand on her arm, as if to say, _Later_.

"As you wish, Father," he said. Hermione nodded.

When they left the room, Natalie suggested they go somewhere to get away from the house. They went outside, and Draco said he had the perfect place. They Apparated just outside the local Muggle mall.

He dragged her into a jewelry store. Luckily, his family had plenty of Muggle money in a bank. "What's the best engagement ring you have, sir?" Draco asked the man behind the cases. Glancing at Draco, he knew he was rich and wanted nothing but the best of his wares.

"This one right here would be beautiful for your young lady, sir," he said, eyeing Hermione.

"Yes," Draco said, not paying attention. "She certainly is beautiful, isn't she?" He realized what the man had actually said. "Oh, I'm sorry. Yes, yes, the ring is perfect. Box it, please." He offhandedly wrote a check for the large sum, and took Hermione to the fountain in the center of the mall, tucking the box in his pocket as they walked.

He asked her to sit on the stone bench. "I think I dropped something," he said. She knew exactly what he was doing, but she went along with it.

"Hermione," he said, grinning, "will you marry me?"

She grinned, too, knowing even if she said no now, she couldn't stop it. "Of course," she said, feigning . And there was something in his eyes she couldn't place. It scared her. What scared her even more was the look the might be in her eyes.

He looked up at her, taking her hand and slipping the ring on her finger, and saw her eyes. It made him so happy… and so damned scared. He was going to… marry… her. Hell, even thinking that scared him and pleased him so much.

Needless to say, it surprised him, when he stood after placing the ring on her finger, and embraced her, that she kissed him with such passion. He wasn't expecting _that_. Sure, perhaps a warm, long kiss. He could hear the hoots and hollers coming from the teenagers and some adults. He could hear some women murmuring what a beautiful couple they made, and commenting on how romantic it was.

When she pulled away from him, there was a smile in her dark green eyes, and on her light rose-colored lips. And he just smiled back. That was when it truly hit Draco, through the jokes, and all his "yes, Father," and everything he had done or thought about or said since he knew they would actually be married, that he was going to marry Hermione Granger. And his smile grew, because he hadn't realized what a beautiful thought that was.


	9. Chapter 9

Hermione took a deep breath the next morning before Apparating. Last night she had realized her friends hadn't been informed at all – about who she was now marrying, and… She almost shuddered. They were going to kill her. No way around it.

"Lav?" she said tentatively, walking into her friend's kitchen. Perhaps telling her journalist, less protective, _female_ friend would be easiest. "Can I talk to you?"

"Sure. I'm just getting ready to fix up some sandwiches for lunch. Want one?"

"Yes. And you might want to make some tea. Or perhaps something stronger for yourself. I've got to tell you something."

"What is it?" She waved her wand, and took the sandwiches to the table. She turned around and got the now-finished tea. "I mean, I haven't heard from you in… what, three weeks? Ever since you said you were moving in with your real parents. How did that go?"

"That's kind of why I wanted to talk to you. I've got to catch you up on something, Lavendar."

"Ooh, are you going to let me know who you're not marrying?"

"You could say that. You see, the day I moved in, just a couple of days after talking to you, I found out who it was. My father was right," she said. "We knew him." She sighed, looking her friend right in the eye. "His name is Draco Malfoy."

Lavendar merely stared back at her. Then, she seemed to regain speech. "No. No way is _that_ possible. They expected you to marry him?"

"For a short time. Then they worked out some terms… if we broke them, then we still had to marry." She brightened her face, knowing very well what the next question was.

"Oh. So, now what?"

"I'm getting married soon."

This time it took her five minutes to regain her ability to speak. "You… broke the rules?"

"Yes." She grinned at her. "I happen to have this as proof." She showed her friend her left hand, and the bright jewels shined back up at her.

"Oh… my… God. Dear God, you're marrying Malfoy." She grinned. "Ron and Harry are both going to murder you. You realize that, don't you?"

"Exactly why I let you know first. Please, if I die, write it in my obit that I was engaged. Just don't let on that you know who did it."

"Right," she said, smiling, still shocked at her friend's bombshell. "I still get my interview, right?"

"Of course. You can interview Draco, our parents, and me. About the adoption _and_ the engagement." She prayed that no one would let on what the broken rule was.

As she walked out the door later, smiling, she slipped her ring into her purse, and pulled out the cell phone her Muggle mother had given her. She had bought one for Harry and Ron both, also.

"Harry? Call Ron and tell him to meet us at his mother's house. I need to talk to you all."

She had also conned Ginny into getting one, and knew that Ron had told her as well. "Ginny?" She took a deep breath. "Where are you?"

"I'm at Mum's. Why?"

"I'll be there in a second. I'll explain when we're all there. Can you get a hold of some of the rest of your family?"

"Of course. See you soon."

And, closing her phone and placing it back in her purse, she Apparated to the Burrow.

Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, Ginny, Fred, George, Ron, and Harry were in the "wreck" room, as the children had once tended to call it.

"Is this about your parents?" Ginny asked excitedly.

"Partially. I'm sure you all know about my real parents, the fact I was told I had been put as bride in an arranged wedding, and that I was against it."

They all nodded. And, taking a deep breath, she dropped the big bomb. "Well, my parents and the parents of my supposed betrothed came up with an agreement. If we adhered to certain terms, we were free to go our own ways. However, if they were broken, we had to marry." She looked at their faces for understanding, and received plenty. "And, you're all invited to the ceremony."

The boys looked murderous. Ginny and her mother were wide-eyed in shock, and looked like a feather could knock them over. Mr. Weasley sat there, staring at her.

"I believe I'd better—"

"Oh, no, you don't!" Ginny stood up abruptly, and grabbed her by the wrist. Then she spoke softly. "I realize you are in danger of being mauled by my brothers and Harry, but if you run, they'll follow." Louder now, she asked sweetly. "Now, who is it that you're marrying?"

"Right." She took a deep breath. "Before I say, can they be restrained? Please?" She gestured at the fuming males. "Or, maybe, given medication?"

"That bad?" Ginny whispered. When she nodded slightly, she wondered who it was that would make them so mad.

"Actually," she sighed, "maybe I shouldn't tell anyone. Maybe you shouldn't be allowed at the ceremony. In consideration of the groom."

Ginny shook her head. "They'd crash it. You know that. Might as well get it over with."

"Fine." She cleared her throat. "Alright. Now, before I say this, I want you all to be open-minded about how people change as they get older. I also want you to remember that I am your friend. I don't want to die."

"Who is it, dear?" Mrs. Weasley asked.

"Well, it… just so happens… that is… I mean to say…"

"Out with it, Hermione!" Harry demanded.

"Draco Malfoy."

Among the angry shouts of the boys, she heard "What the bloody hell!" and "I'm going to kill that—"

Oh yes. Her friends were open-minded. The male friends were shouting explicitives, not particularly caring that most of them had a mother two feet away, and the females sat, shell-shocked. Arthur was with the women, just shocked. "I think I really should go," she said, eyeing the fuming and shocked friends.

With that, she Apparated home.

As she fell onto her bed, she let out a deep sigh. She heard a knock on the door. "Come in," she said. She played with the ring, without thinking.

"Where've you been all morning?"

At Draco's voice, she sat up abruptly. Her hair was disheveled from her fingers combing it multiple times since she had arrived home. Her makeup was a bit smudged, and the look on her face… well. It showed that it didn't go very well.

"I was telling my friends about this," she said, holding out her left hand.

"I take it they didn't like it too much," he said, a grin on his face. He could just imagine how Potter and Weasley had taken it.

She shook her head. "Not quite. By the way, if I were you, I'd wear a bullet and magic proof vest during the ceremony."

He laughed. "It'll be fine. I swear." He sat next to her and held her against his chest. It shocked him, though, that he was seriously thinking about… love. He didn't love Hermione… But he thought that she was letting him feel what it might be like.

And he wanted more.


	10. Chapter 10

At the rehearsal dinner, Draco left Hermione's side while she went off to speak to friends. He walked up to his old friends as well.

"Hello, Blaise." He grinned as his friend turned around. His wife, Pansy, was hanging on his arm, as usual. Now, those two were two Slytherins in love.

"Hullo, Draco. Never thought you'd hook up with Granger." He grinned. "And to think, she was really the Drake girl…" He shook his head. "Weird."

He nodded. "Could I talk to you a moment?" His gaze swept briefly in the direction of Pansy.

Blaise nodded. "Sure." He looked over at his wife, and whispered something in her ear, and she laughed and nodded. Marriage had truly changed them both.

They walked over to a secluded corner of the room, and Blaise gave his friend a strange look. "What's with you? Pre-wedding jitters? Odd, since it's an arranged marriage, and you being you."

"Ha ha, very funny, Blaise. It's more important than that."

At his friend's serious tone, Blaise's face lost it's teasing demeanor. "What is it? You still hate each other?"

He shook his head. "I feel weird. I… it's like I feel like I have to protect her from everything. It's like I just want to be _better_ than I ever was, because I feel she deserves it. I've felt this way for weeks." He looked at his friend with a pleading face. "What's wrong with me?"

And Blaise just laughed. He laughed so hard, he had to put his champagne glass down on a nearby small table. He eventually stopped, and when he saw Draco's face, he almost laughed again. He looked so confused. "Now, _that's_ something I never in a million years thought would happen to you!"

"What?" He was more confused than ever.

"No one ever predicted Draco Malfoy would even date a Gryffindor, much less one he thought a Mudblood, even if she wasn't really. No one ever predicted you'd marry one. No one ever even _guessed_ what else happened."

"What the bloody hell are you talking about?" Draco demanded.

"You're in love, dear boy," he said, patting his friend on the back, laughing, though not so hard this time.

And he felt something draining from him, pooling around his feet. "Wha-what did you just say?"

"You heard me," Blaise told him, a smug smile on his face. "You've fallen for Miss Hermione Drake. Soon to be Mrs. Draco Malfoy, in case you haven't forgotten. Your wedding is in the morning."

"Oh God." At Blaise's nod, suddenly the sinking feeling went away, replaced with a light, lifting feeling of flight. "I love her. I love her."

He nodded again. "Congratulations. You just figured it out 12 hours before you two get married."

Draco had already run off to find Hermione.

"Hermione." He didn't care that Harry, Ron, and Ginny were standing right next to her. He stood directly in front of her. "I have to tell you something." He never gave the others a second glance.

"But…" She looked at his serious gaze, then at her confused friends. She started to tell them to go, so they could talk alone.

He shook his head. "No. They can listen if they want. I don't care if they hear what I have to say." _All that matters is that you do._

"What do you want to tell me, then?" Her eyes searched his, confused as her friends.

"I didn't realize it before, but just now, I knew. Just so suddenly. And I had to tell you. I had to tell you this."

"Tell me what?" She was beginning to be a little scared. Whatever it was, he felt very passionate about it.

"I love you."

Hermione's jaw dropped, her eyes wide, and she attempted to find words. "You what?"

Harry, Ron, and Ginny reacted the same way. "_He **loves** her?_ "

Draco nodded. "Yes."

"Oh. Um." She blinked. "I know I should be saying something. But. Er. I'm. Um. I'm in a bit of shock here."

He shook his head. "No. I don't expect you to say anything. I just had to tell you." He was cradling her face in his hands. "I just had to," he murmured.

She smiled softly, and nodded as he walked away. Draco was floating on a cloud, leaving the rest of them shell-shocked.


	11. Chapter 11

As she prepared herself for the long day ahead, Hermione kept seeing Draco again. She kept remembering how she felt, how she had stood at the moment of hearing his declaration. "I love you." The crystal goblet she had held so calmly was shaking. She, and the friends she didn't see, were in shock. She knew Draco felt something for her. Cared for her. But love?

Now, in her room, sitting at the mahogany dressing table, her make-up and perfumes and some household potions laying in front of the large mirror, she remembered all that had happened in the past few weeks, and even a little of her days at school. She stared at her reflection, remembering how she had looked then.

Her hair had been nearly uncontrollable, her eyes a lighter shade. Her face had been rounder, as children and teen's often are. She had definitely been much shorter, especially in those first two years. By third year, she had begun to grow a bit, both physically, she remembered fondly, and in her attitude. That had been the year she'd punched Draco.

She remembered seeing him many times during her years, of course. He'd been good-looking, then, she supposed. She hadn't fawned over him as some Slytherin girls did, but then again, why would she have? He'd never paid more attention to her than to call her Mudblood every now and then, make a snide comment or two, or in some other way try to degrade her. Of course, he'd always failed, but not for lack of trying.

She might even go so far to say that she admired his looks. Not a crush or anything, but she _had_ once caught herself truly looking at him. It had been in the Great Hall, fifth year, and she'd been just gazing around the extraordinarily large room. Her eyes had rested on his features, and after a minute or two, she realized she'd been gazing at Malfoy, someone who hated her background, and her friends. Well, she chuckled, reminding herself, the background they had believed was hers.

And then, no more than a few weeks ago, she had seen him for the first time in years. Of course, she'd seen his picture in the Daily Prophet. That was no surprise, after all, she had even, she realized, read about Lauren Drake's death. But after all those years, he just Apparates into her bedroom, only half-way dressed.

And she had definitely gazed then. But, of course, who wouldn't have? First of all, it was hard to not notice. Second, he really was a dreamy sort of guy. Truly handsome. Thirdly, she was in shock, she defended herself, since he _had_ just appeared in her brand new bedroom, in a house she'd lived in less than a week.

She found herself sighing, remembering that image of Draco, and others… Okay, so she felt kind of strongly for him as well. She really did care for him. She might even… _There is a strong possibility,_ she thought, _that I love him._

And that should be just fine, since she was preparing herself for her wedding day. And he had told her the night before that he loved her. Except, she couldn't quite find it in her to truly believe either of them. Hermione hadn't really had that much experience with love. She was feeling butterflies, but those could be wedding jitters. She felt lightheaded, but that could be her bride's nerves. She had spent a half hour or more staring in the mirror thinking about him, but that might just be because he had told her he loved her about ten hours ago.

And how did he know for sure he loved her? She knew he thought he did. He had been too passionate about what he'd said for it to be untrue. The look in his eyes at that moment had told her that those three words rang true in his mind. She was pretty darned sure he hadn't said it to those other many, many women and girls he had dated.

So how did either of them know for sure what love really was? She shook her head, and focused back on her reflection. She stared at it yet again, but only for a moment, and she realized it.

People just _know_. It could be from the first moment, or it could be years and years after they meet. But when it happens, you know you're in love. You just know.

And the look in her eyes was so like the look his had held the night before, she knew that they both were right.

* * *

As the familiar music played, Hermione walked forward slowly. She was scared to death, but sure this was right. And what she saw in front of her confirmed it. She looked straight into that pair of steely eyes, and she just knew that what she'd been thinking earlier in her room was right – people just know. 

As Draco bent towards her to kiss her after they had exchanged vows, she whispered to him the words she couldn't handle the night before.

"I love you, too."

* * *

As they made toasts, Adam Drake looked at his daughter happily. And he knew that this was a match made in happily ever after. He held his wife's hand, knowing she saw the same. With the looks Draco and Hermione shared, the Drakes knew that this had never been an arranged marriage for those two. 

**A/N: You people made me soooo happy! You could not believe me. I loved getting online and seeing all the reviews! **

**I delved a bit deeper into Hermione's brain than I expected, and still it only got 2 pages. **

**Anyway, the reviews are majorly appreciated.**

**Jennifer-Marie**** – Thanks for all of the reviews you put for every chapter! A lot of your comments made me laugh.**

**Cal8907 – Aww thanks! And wait no more! xD**

**Madam Sorceress – Of course it's a good thing! There is no such thing as too much fluff, right? Well. Unless you're mega-goth or something… Well. Yeah.**

**WildMage1245 – Don't be envious! I read some stories and I can see how far I have to go. A lot of my style comes from tons of reading (both books and stories on here) and lots and lots of roleplaying when I can find the time.**

**Daigona – Thanks for the compliments and the help. **

**To all of you – I'm so glad you like Adopted! I'm sorry, but this story got a little bit out of hand, so I have to re-outline the last few chapters, so there may or may not be an update next weekend… My junior year is seriously hectic, along with the fact that we're moving from Tennessee to Michigan soon, so there's a lot of stuff to do!**


	12. Chapter 12

"Let me do this right," Draco told her, laughing. He picked her up, nudging the door open, and set her down lightly in their new home.

"You're silly, you know that?" Hermione was blushing lightly as she straightened her clothes again. "But I love you."

"Mhm. And that's why you put up with me, right?" He laughed again, brushing his fingertips lightly against hers.

"Of course," she said, laughing with him. She still glowed from their honeymoon in the tropical sun of Cancun. She looked around the manor's front room, and sighed thoughtfully. "I think we should have a party. You know, just our close friends."

And she had no idea the consequences of that party.

Hermione was happy as she answered the door to let Ginny, Ron, Fred, and George in. Draco's friends had arrived earlier, and seemed to like her a lot. She'd been worried they'd hold the past against her and her friends. She had been even more worried that they would still only see her as Muggle-born, or, worse, only liked her because she wasn't.

No worries, though. They'd been nothing but kind, and Pansy had even come up to her and apologized. They'd been chatting while Draco and Blaise had gone off to talk to old school friends. Then the doorbell had rang, and Hermione was sure that the hostility of school days had melted away with age and maturity.

"Hey, you guys! Where's Harry and Lav?" She asked them.

"I'm right here, Hermione!" Lavender called out, waving an arm, barely seen behind Fred's head. Hermione noted that she and Ron were holding hands.

Then, there was a swirl in the air, and Harry appeared. He winked at her. "Gotcha!" Again, Hermione noticed something. As soon as the Invisibility Cloak was off, his hand automatically reached for Ginny's.

"Is there something you would like to tell me?" She looked at Ginny, Lavender, Harry, and Ron. "I mean, Ginny. I know you caught my bouquet, but this doesn't look very sudden, exactly."

"Well…" She blushed. "When you left for the honeymoon, Harry and I rediscovered a few sparks…"

"And I got the nerve to tell Ron – thanks to your marvelous open bar at the reception – that I'd had a crush on him all through school." At Lavender's explanation, Hermione's jaw nearly dropped.

"You what!" Her eyes looked like dinner plates, and her mouth was a perfect O of shock. "And you guys acted like me being adopted, a Pureblood, and falling for Draco was surprising!" She grinned.

Leading the group farther into the manor, where the party was being held, Hermione walked over to Pansy. "Pansy, you remember Harry, Ron, Fred, George, Ginny, and Lavender from the wedding and school, of course." Her smile kept on her face but a moment after. It faded the second she saw the sneer on Pansy's face, the look in her eyes, and the overall change in her.

"Of course I do. And they're still good-for-nothings."

The expression on Hermione's face changed instantly. Her mouth hardened in a single line, and her eyes turned icy with fury. "You apologized to me, Pansy. For treating me the way you did in school. I thought you'd matured, grown up, like the rest of us. I must have been wrong, because you are acting exactly the same." She quickly turned on her heel, and walked toward Draco.

Slightly confused and mildly angry – at Pansy, of course – the group followed her.

She simply looked one moment at Draco and her content demeanor returned. "Hello, Draco," she said, giving him a short hello kiss. "And hello to you, too, Blaise. I had the most interesting chat with your wife," she said calmly. "That is, until she decided to revert to being childish and immature. It seems she still holds a grudge of some sort against my friends."

Blaise looked at the group trailing his friend's new wife. "I wonder why," he said sarcastically. Draco and Hermione looked on, shocked, as the party split in two groups. The former Slytherin students slunk behind Blaise and Pansy while the former Gryffindors stood slightly behind Harry and Ginny.

They each tried to calm their friends, but were shoved aside.

"Hermione, this has to be done! Half of these people were Death Eaters-in-training when we got rid of Voldemort," Harry told her defiantly. "And even if they hadn't been, you remember how they treated all of us in school – especially the three of us!" He glanced back at Ron before returning to Hermione.

"Draco! You know this has been a long time coming," Blaise told his old friend with fire in his tone. "If you weren't married to one of them, I'd be demanding that you join us. In fact, even that shouldn't be stopping you! Hermione is your _wife_, shouldn't you be calling the shots? Who exactly wears the pants in your family, Draco?"

"Hermione, what are you thinking? Don't stop us," Harry began speaking again. "We're okay with Draco now – that doesn't mean we'll ever be at peace with _them_."

"Get out," Draco growled at his group of "friends".

"I think you should all go for a walk," Hermione told him calmly. "Harry, take a deep breath. Look. They're leaving. Go home. Please. Just… let it go."

After everyone had finally left, Hermione turned towards Draco, falling into him.

"God, do our friends have issues," she managed jokingly.

Draco just rubbed his hand over her back and murmured in her ear, "I'm so sorry."


End file.
